Acquired hemophilia A: a rare but important challenge for the internist.

In this issue of Annali Boddi et al.5 report the case of an 81-year-old male admitted to the hospital with extensive hematomas and prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time, with normal prothrombin time and fibrinogen concentration. An activated partial thromboplastin time mixing study did not show any correction, suggesting a coagulation inhibitor and the presence of lupus anticoagulant and anticardiolipin antibodies was excluded. Extremely low factor VIII and elevated factor VIII inhibitor were found. The patient was treated by red blood cells and i.v. methylprednisolone and after a progressive improvement in clinical conditions and laboratory parameters, the patient was Dipartimento di Area Critica Medico-Chirurgica (Direttore: Prof. Giulio Masotti), Università degli Studi di Firenze © 2005 CEPI Srl (Ann Ital Med Int 2005; 20: IV-V)